As an exchange student from Singapore, I have found such amazing connections, friendships, experiences and more in my semester here at Mizzou. And as I approach the end of my semester abroad, I believe that this has genuinely been an experience I will remember and cherish even 10 or 20 years from now. If you have a chance to take on a study abroad program, be it for a week or a year – do it. And here is why.Â
Being on a study abroad program allows you to immerse yourself entirely in a different culture, which is something that you can never experience just from a holiday as a tourist. I took on this exchange program at the University of Missouri alone, and in doing so, although it was daunting at times, I believe I have truly gotten the chance to immerse myself in the culture of an American college.
I get to share funny anecdotes with friends, like how saying “bless you” after a sneeze is an American thing, or how a line is called a line and not a queue. I even cherish the very act of slowly familiarizing myself with the layout of campus, graduating from constantly checking Google Maps. All these experiences are ones I would not have gained had I not taken the leap of faith and committed to the 18-hour plane ride from Singapore to the U.S.Â
But of course, taking the step out of my comfort zone and moving to another country all by myself for six months definitely has its challenges. There is a challenge that begins even before going on study abroad: the doubt and worries that I was constantly thinking about. Was this the right decision to make? Would I be able to make friends? Will I come to hate my time on exchange? These are unavoidable parts of growing up and gaining independence. The only consolation is that many students before me have done this and gotten through it, and there will continue to be students doing this and gaining priceless experiences. So I, and you, can do it too.Â
I would not have been able to do it without the support of so many wonderful people around me throughout this journey. I believe studying abroad teaches you to cherish the relationships and loved ones you have back home even more. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and it is because of the daily calls with my family that I truly understand how much they support me, even 9,463 miles away. And the wonderful friends I have made here from all parts of the world have made this experience unforgettable.
Even if you don’t believe in fate or destiny, the fact that I have met such amazing human beings at this very specific point in time truly taught me that the world is so vast and there is so much to look forward to. I have made lasting friendships that I hope will continue as we return home and lead our own separate lives. And without this experience, I would not have widened my horizons and grown as a person.
Finally, studying abroad has taught me that things are just not that deep. Coming from a country that is only 31 miles long from east to west, it is easy to get sucked into the daily worries and struggles of a university student living in an urban city. But coming here and realizing just how vast the U.S. and the world is has shown me that everyone is just getting by as they are. In the grand scheme of things, I am just one person in this big world, and I am grateful to have lived life outside what I have known for the past 20 years. So if you get a chance to get outside of your country and comfort zone, do it. Because who knows what is waiting for you on the other side of the ocean.